Mark Buehrle: thrives on a fast-paced rhythm: since 2001, White Sox pitcher has been one of top winners among majors' left-handers.

CALL MARK BUEHRLE A HILLBILLY, country or a redneck if you must. He really doesn't mind.

Hey, this is a guy who proposed to his girlfriend last off-season while sitting in a tree stand hunting for deer on his 1,200-acre property in rural Missouri.

Just don't call Buehrle if you're asking him to bring attention to himself.

"My buddies were joking around about one day going on 'The Late Show With David Letterman,' and I said I don't know if I could ever do that," Buehrle said. "First off, I'm too shy for that. But then they said, 'That's how you become big-time.' Well, that's exactly why I wouldn't want to do that. I like just kind of being under the radar and taking care of business."

Give Buehrle lemonade and a porch swing, Jack Daniels from the bottle and gravy for his biscuits. Don't force him to self-promote. How is this for down to earth? Buehrle drove a car with a cracked engine block for most of his major league career before spoiling himself with a luxury car last season.

Then there is the contradictory side to the White Sox left-hander. As quiet and unassuming as he is, Buehrle is at his best in a stadium full of people, on a raised bump in the middle of the infield, dictating his own pace--fast --to hitters.

"I get a kick out of Buehrle," Sox pitching coach Don Cooper said. "Sometimes in the bullpen before the game, things aren't clicking the right way, and he'll look at me like, 'Are you watching this? How bad is this?' But it's the same old stuff. It doesn't matter. When he goes out there, everything will be fine."